


The Road to Recovery

by Geml31



Category: Midsomer Murders - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2019-11-23 21:47:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18157427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geml31/pseuds/Geml31
Summary: What if Death of Small Coppers had ended differently, and DS Jamie Winter ended up getting hurt and his recovery.





	1. Chapter 1

The first sound after arrow fired was a loud thump and a loud scream of pain. John turned around to the noise and saw Jamie on the floor with the arrow sticking in the lower part of his abdomen and a pool of blood slowly forming underneath him. 

Once John had gotten over the shock, he rushed over to Jamie on the floor forgetting everyone else around him. He knew that every seconded counted and had to stop the bleeding or steam it. So, he pulled off his suite jacket started putting pressure onto the wound. Jamie hissed out in pain and the then tried to say, “I’m sorry… sir I.” 

John then looked at him and said “Shh Jamie, don’t worry about that now. Just save your energy. You need to keep your eyes open. I know it hurts Jamie. Look you can hear the ambulance help is coming. Just keep those eyes open.”

The second the paramedics turned up they rushed over to and John said “This is DS Jamie Winter; he’s been shot with an arrow. Please take care of him” 

Within in moments of them arriving Jamie was stabilised and placed in the ambulance and rushed straight to the nearest hospital. 

Once John knew that Jamie was in safe hands, he went into DCI mode. Making sure that the suspect and person who caused this pain was being dealt with and said to the uniform officer “I want you to add attempted murder of Detective Sergeant Jamie Winter to the list of charges including 2 counts of murder. If you need me, I will be at hospital.”

Once John had reached his car the adrenaline had started to disappear. Before he did anything, he need a reassuring voice so called his wife Sarah. It took him 3 goes to dial the right number and a further 3 rings before she picked up. Before she could say anything, John said “Sarah can you meet me at Causton Hospital. Winter been shot with a Bow and arrow.”

John then drove in silence to hospital suddenly realising that he needed to dig out Jamie’s next of kin details. He did a u-turn and headed back to the office. 

Once he got there, he noticed that how much quite the office was without him there. When he pulled up Jamie’s personal file he noticed that his next of kin was blank and that the system showed it happened within the last month. Wondering if the death in service payment would shed any further light to who he should contact. When he looked it up John was shocked that any money left in the event of Jamie’s death would go to one person a Miss Betty Barnaby.

John shut down the PC and headed towards the hospital wondering how he would inform his wife that his Sergeant had no one he felt that cared for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

When John finally made it to the hospital and bumped into Sarah in the main reception. The second he saw her he gave her a massive hug while trying to hold it together. Before John could ask Sarah said “Jamie’s been taken straight through to surgery and they said once they are done, he will spend the night in ICU. They said we could wait up there.”

They then headed up to the ICU hand in. When they got up there, they found a row of chairs and sat down John said “Tried to find Jamie’s next of kin to contact them and the silly boy left it blank. No parents, siblings or anyone on file to contact. To make matters worse in the event of his death everything gets left to Betty.”

Sarah replied shocked at the news “John I don’t think he has anyone. He seems to be spending more time at our house than ever before. Don’t get me wrong he is more than welcome to. But a lad his age”

Before Sarah could carry on the surgeon had appeared “My name is Ms Naylor I was one of the surgeons working on Mr Winter. When he was opened up, we found that the arrow had done more damaged than we anticipated. It had nicked the bottom of his left lung, so we have repaired that, and my college Mr Levey had repaired the damage to the liver. We are going to keep him sedated and on a ventilator for the next 24hr to 48hr to allow the lung to heal. He is a very lucky man and should make a full recovery. We have moved into the ICU and he will be there for a couple of days before he moves onto the ward. A nurse will show you to his bed.” With that the doctor left and within seconds a nurse had appeared and showed them to Jamie’s bed.

When they got there, they were shocked at how small and pale Jamie looked. Around him there was lots of wires and machines. The biggest shock was seeing a machine take every single breath and knowing that was the only thing keeping him alive. 

Sarah took the seat next to the bed and just watch while John stood at the end of the bed. Both just looking at the figure in the bed and not saying anything to each other. After a little while John broke the silence and said, “As much as I hate to admit it there is nothing we can do here, and I know a little girl who would love to have Daddy do dinner, bath and bedtime.”

Just as John and Sarah where about to leave John turned back and said “Winter, once you are better me and you are going to have a serious talk.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter.

Chapter Three 

When John and Sarah made it home with Betty, they were both mentally and physically drained from the day’s events. John more so than Sarah. They ended up doing Betty’s bedtime routine together and taking longer than they usually would. 

Once Betty was tucked up in bed and sound asleep. They both headed downstairs to stop and absorb the day’s events. Sarah cuddled into John side. Both just sat there in with some light music playing in the background. Eventuality both of them drifted off to sleep on the sofa.

John slowly awoke the next morning to the sun shining through there lounge window, with John holding Sarah in a protective hold/cuddle. Once John had awoken a little bit more, he checked the time on his watch and noticed it was nearly 6am. Fully aware that it was the school holidays he carefully removed Sarah from his arms, placed her back on the sofa and covered her with a blanket.

Knowing that he was still required at work today John headed up stairs to have a shower and start to get ready for the day. By the time John had his shower and got dressed. His daughter Betty had started to stir so headed into her room, got her washed and dressed then carried her down stairs to deal with breakfast. 

By the time John had breakfast with Betty it was nearly 7.30. So placed Betty in the play room, made a coffee for Sarah and placed it on the coffee table in front of her. The smell of coffee slowly woke Sarah up and John “Morning, coffee on the table, Betty dressed, watered, fed and more than happy playing the in play room. I’m going to head to the hospital before going to office and clear some of the paperwork. Also going to grab some bits for Winter so he has something to keep himself entertained.” With that John kissed Sarah, picked up his wallet, keys and phone and left.

Once he was in the car on the way to the hospital, he did a U-turn and headed towards the office, determined to find someone to contact and inform them about Winters condition.

When John arrived at the office everyone avoided him like the plague due the extreme anger that radiated off him. The next time John looked up at his watch he noticed a couple of hours had gone by and was nearly lunchtime.

During his research he found out that Jamie had a first-class honours degree in Criminology and Forensics from Northumbria University and completed a master’s with Merit in Police leadership, Strategy and Organisation for the University of Derby. Once he had completed his master’s he was offered a couple of jobs MI5, MI6, and a place on the Met’s fast track scheme. 

John also found out that during his time with the Met he completed his basic training with no major issues. Once he completed the required time in uniform, he was moved onto anti- terrorism as a DC. Some of the cases that he worked where marked as classified and was promoted to the rank of DS. However, a year before he came to Midsomer it showed that he had taken a year out of policing and when he came back Midsomer was his first placement. 

However, none of this information was new to John and failed to explain why he had no next of kin details, what his life was like growing up, why he wanted to join the police force or why he took that year out. With that he left the police station and headed to the hospital.

When John arrived at the hospital and made it up to Jamie’s room, he noticed that he looked even small in the hospital bed than last night. However, Jamie had slightly more colour within his face and if it was not for the tube breathing for him. He looked like he was just sleeping.

John just took the chair next to the bedside and just watched Jamie and the machines force breath into and out of him. John just spend ages watching him and the nurses coming and going checking his stats and slowly reducing the ventilator.

After two hours of just watching Jamie. His surgeon came into the room and said “His vital signs look stable and he is also most breathing for himself. We plan to reduce the drugs and once he is awake which should be tomorrow morning, we can see how he is doing and hopefully remove the tube. However, we will keep on ITU for a couple more days once he is awake before we move him to the ward. Then he should be able to be discharged a week later subject him not being on his own for a couple of weeks.” Then with that the surgeon left the room.

John then spoke “You hear that Winter you’re getting better. When you’re ready to be discharged you can come and stay with me, Sarah, Betty and Paddy. Once your awake either me or Sarah will pop round to yours to pick up of your things. Then me and you need to have serious conversation about three things; about you going AWOL and how you won’t do it again, your lack of next of kin details and how Betty is sole benefactor in the event of your death and your police record.” 

At the sound of that Jamie’s heart monitor started increasing. Showing to John that Jamie is listening to the conversation and trying to react. John then said “Jamie Winter you listen closely we all make mistakes; I am not going to transfer you out based on a poor judgement call. I will see you tomorrow Jamie.”

With that Jamie heart rate levelled back out and John left to go home. Knowing that Jamie was out of danger.


End file.
